Renaissance Theatre Company last month. (Watermark Out News file photo)
ORLANDO | Orlando community members have raised over $9,000 for Renaissance Theatre Company after it was forced to close until further notice due to a failed annual inspection.
“Missing out on a weekend of performances of ‘Nosferatu’ is a huge loss of revenue for us, and in just 24 hours we’ve raised over $9,000 from 124 donors, which helps us cover our costs as we work toward getting back open,” Donald Rupe, co-founder of the Renaissance Theatre Company, said in a statement on Facebook.
All shows on Sept. 19-20 were canceled due to the failed inspection from the City of Orlando. Rupe states that “Nosferatu” is the theater’s biggest “money-maker” and asked patrons of the theater to donate on their website to help support the staff.
“Until we make those changes- which are totally surmountable changes that we are happy to address- they’ve placed lovely neon condemned signs on the building,” Rupe shared in a statement online.
The staff at the theater are working to get the show back up and running for the weekend of Sept. 26. Tickets are still available but the venue has cancelled this weekend’s shows to ensure they have enough time and space to meet all the safety requirements.
“There are a lot of great people in our city government (thank you great people). We’d like to thank them for their diligence and for taking care of our community, and we look forward to working with them toward re-opening,” Rupe added.
The City of Orlando released a statement Sept. 22 providing the reasons the building was condemned.
“The building was condemned on Friday due to life-safety concerns stemming from construction work that had been completed without required permits, including the unapproved addition of a second floor. The site has several life-safety hazards, such as electrical issues, lack of sprinklers or fire suppression in some areas, and obstructed exits due to a maze-like layout. These conditions create significant risks for patrons and hinder evacuation routes in the event of an emergency. The City is actively working with the business to address and correct these violations, but until all code and safety issues are resolved, the property will remain condemned.”
To donate to the Renaissance Theatre Company, visit RenTheatre.com/Donate.
